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If Zoë Anderson, founder of east London interiors store WA Green, were to have a personal proverb, it would have to be a line straight from David Bowie’s 1970 song Memory of a Free Festival: ‘The sun machine is coming down and we’re gonna have a party.’ Her shop, which has just won an award for the Best Independent Boutique from the homeware website Trouva, sells products she describes as ‘dopamine for the home’, and Zoë herself is unashamedly non-conformist and true to herself. ‘It’s so liberating,’ she says, laughing.

With a vision to ensure ‘every designer is given the same platform: not just the demi-gods, but the emerging makers’, Zoë works hard to stay ahead of the curve, which includes providing exhibition space to local and international street artists. ‘I have always really identified with alternative cultures,’ she says. ‘I like pop art. If I could belong to any tribe I would be a punk: I always wanted to wear Vivienne Westwood.’ As you might expect, when she decorates her north London house, which she shares with her husband Gavin and their 17-year-old daughter Ruby, for Christmas, conventional baubles and tinsel are not quite her thing. Here, she tells Hannah Newton how she gets her home ready for the festive season in true punk-maximalist style.

I have always felt suffocated by the expectation of it all, so I like to create a fun, playful atmosphere. We always have a theme and this year it’s Mexican because I would like to be there. I don’t like the traditional Victorian Christmas, so I look for ways to reflect how I like to live. I blend things from other cultures – in London we are exposed to such a cultural hotbed and everyone celebrates differently. My Guadalupe statue is in keeping with the Mexican theme: it is super kitsch, but I love icons and Renaissance art. I like to create a sense of occasion and drama. I’ve also used traditional Mexican Day of the Dead flags, and Christmas Day will begin with a margarita.

How do you decorate your house and choose your interiors?

My style has got more confident as I’ve got older. I buy things from all over the place, mixing homewares, textiles and fashion, old and new. I like to blend, with odd sizes and mismatched pieces. I like positivity and having things that give you good energy, which I think is incredibly powerful. The things you see when you wake up or when you come in from a hard day can really affect the way you feel. Some of my favourite pieces are a lamp by Sebastian Herkner and my orange hand-shaped chair by Jonathan Adler. I love colourful cushions – mine are by Silken Favours, which was set up by Vicki Murdoch. I have also fallen in love with the British designer Bethan Gray’s work. I believe in longevity – I want my design pieces to become heirlooms that my grandchildren will argue over!

A striking backdrop of cobalt blue (Wyatt by Painthouse) provides a
vivid frame to display contemporary art pieces. On the SCP table are plates by Canvas Home, a Jonathan Adler bowl and a Seletti banana lampCredit:
Claire Worthy

What are your Christmas must-haves?

Scent and light are vital. I always perfume a room, usually with Cire Trudon’s Ernesto candles. Wrapping is also essential – a gift must look beautiful. The paper need not match, but a uniform ribbon connects it together, and I like to accessorise with a bauble or a miniature bottle of booze. I believe in making an effort. I love the build-up to Christmas, so we always throw a party. I get dressed up and make sure the house feels comfortable with throws and rugs by the fire and candles lit in each room.

What are your tips for Christmas styling?

Decorations don’t have to be for the tree – I wouldn’t think twice about not having a tree at all. You could just decorate house plants, the candlesticks or the banisters. I struggle with Christmas sometimes because I love my house the way it is. In fact, there’s so much here already, it’s difficult to add more.